Smart water filter system

ABSTRACT

Various examples are provided for smart water filter systems. In one example, a smart water filter system includes a solenoid valve (or other electrically operated valve) in a water supply line of a faucet, and a filter bank coupled to the water supply line. Activation of the valve can stop the flow of unfiltered water through the faucet while allowing the flow of filtered water through the faucet. In another example, a smart water filter system includes a three-port solenoid (or electrically operated) valve coupled to a faucet, and a filter bank coupled to the water supply line and to a second inlet port of the three-port solenoid valve. Activation of the three-port valve can stop the flow of unfiltered water through the faucet while allowing the flow of filtered water through the faucet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional applicationhaving Ser. No. 14/640,758, which was filed Mar. 6, 2015 and claimspriority to, and the benefit of, U.S. provisional applications entitled“SMART WATER FILTER SYSTEM” having Ser. No. 61/949,685, which was filedMar. 7, 2014; Ser. No. 61/983,057, which was filed Apr. 23, 2014; andSer. No. 62/045,068, which was filed Sep. 3, 2014, all of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Water filters for widespread domestic water production have been in usedsince the 1800s. In the 1900s, sand filters were replaced by mechanicalfiltration to increase the filtration rate. In home filtration of wateruses jug filters and filters attached to the end of a faucet to removesome chemicals and particulates in the water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood withreference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings arenot necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a water filter system for drinkingwater.

FIGS. 2A through 2C are perspective views of examples of a smart waterfilter system in accordance with various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 3A through 3D are schematic diagrams of various smart water filtersystems in accordance with various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 4A through 4D are schematic diagrams of various smart water filtersystems including a chiller unit in accordance with various embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5A through 5D are schematic diagrams of various smart water filtersystems including a carbonation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6A through 6D are schematic diagrams of various smart water filtersystems including a chiller unit and a carbonation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of an example of a control unit ofthe smart water filter system in accordance with various embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIGS. 8A through 8K are examples of sensors that can be utilized toinitiate the provision of filtered water by the smart water filtersystem in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of operation of thesmart water filter system in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are various examples related to a smart water filtersystem. Reference will now be made in detail to the description of theembodiments as illustrated in the drawings, wherein like referencenumbers indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Water for most household applications is provided through a sink faucet.When filtered drinking water is desired, it is typically providedthrough a separate faucet located at the sink. Also, a separate faucetis typically used for removal of more harmful contaminants because ofthe resulting low water flow. While in-line filtration can improve tasteand odor of the water, it may not be desirable to filter all the waterbeing supplied through the faucet when only a portion of this water isused for drinking. By controlling when the water is being filtered, thecost associated with replacing expensive filters can be reduced. FIG. 1shows a schematic diagram of a typical installation. Water is suppliedto the faucet 103 through a cold water line 106 and a hot water line109. Filtered drinking water is provided through the separate faucet viaa filter 112 connected to the cold water line 106. A valve 115 on theseparate faucet controls the water flow through the filter 112.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, shown is one example of a smart water filtersystem 100 in accordance with various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The smart water filter system 200 includes a filter bank 203attached to a cold water line 106 of a sink. The filter bank 203 caninclude one or more filter cartridges for filtering chemicals,particulates and/or other materials out of the water. A combination ofdifferent types of filter cartridges can be used to address differentelements in the water. For example, a portion of the filter bank can beconfigured to add nutrients and/or flavor back into the water ifdesired. A supply line 206 for the filter bank 203 is connected from thecold water line 106, between a cold water cutoff valve 209 and anelectrically operated valve such as, e.g., a solenoid valve 212. Adischarge line is connected from the filter bank 203 to the cold waterline 106 between the solenoid valve 212 and a cold water valve 215 ofthe faucet. While the sink faucet of FIG. 2A includes separate coldwater and hot water valves, other faucets can control hot and cold waterflow through a single valve mechanism. While the kitchen faucet isportrayed in FIGS. 1-8, the smart filter water system 200 can also beapplied to other applications (for example, bathroom sink faucets),where it is desirable to filter a portion of the water supplied throughthe faucet. User input to the smart water system 200 may be providedthrough one or more sensors 230.

The hot water line 109 supplying the sink faucet is not connected to thesmart water filter system 200 in FIG. 2A. In other implementations, thesmart water filter system 100 may connected to the hot water line 109instead of the cold water line 106, or in addition to the cold waterline 106. For example, hot filtered water may be dispensed for drinks orto use for cooking. As can be understood, while the smart water filtersystem 200 is described providing water from the cold water line 106,the smart water filter system 200 can utilize water from a hot waterline 109 in a similar fashion. FIGS. 2B and 2C show examples of variousconfigurations of the smart water filter system 200. In the example ofFIG. 2B, the solenoid valve 212 (including control circuitry and/or abattery) is located separately from the filter bank 203. In the exampleof FIG. 2C, the solenoid valve 212 (including, e.g., control circuitryand/or a battery for power) and filter bank 203 can be integrated into asingle unit with the water supply line (e.g., cold water line 106)coupled to inlet and outlet connections of the single unit. The singleunit can be configured with the solenoid and other circuitry located onthe top of the filter bank 203 as shown in FIG. 2C, or in otherlocations about the filter bank 203 as can be understood. The supply anddischarge lines of the filter bank 203 can be routed inside of theenclosure of the single unit, or outside the enclosure as shown in FIG.2C.

FIG. 3A shows a schematic diagram of the smart water filter system 200of FIG. 2A comprising a conditioning system 830. The cold water line 106includes a discharge line (or upper) tee 221 and/or a supply line (orlower) tee 218 for connecting the discharge line 224 and supply line206, respectively. The discharge line tee 221 can be connected anywherebetween the solenoid valve 212 and the cold water valve 215 of thefaucet. While not illustrated in FIG. 3A, a water line filter (e.g., aself-cleaning screen filter or other replaceable or removable sedimentfilter) can be included before the solenoid valve 212 to reduce theamount of particulates reaching the filter bank 203, and to protect thesolenoid 212 or other components from debris flowing through the coldwater line 106. For example, the water line filter can be located in thecold water line 106 before the supply line tee 218 or can be included aspart of the supply line tee 218. The discharge line tee 221 may bedirectly connected to the solenoid valve 212 and/or the cold water valve215 and/or indirectly connected to the solenoid valve 212 and/or thecold water valve 215 via a section of, e.g., pipe, manifold or tubing.The supply line tee 218 can be connected anywhere between the cold watercutoff valve 209 and the solenoid valve 212. The supply line tee 218 maybe directly connected to the cold water cutoff valve 209 and/or thesolenoid valve 212 and/or indirectly connected to the cold water cutoffvalve 209 and/or the solenoid valve 212 via a section of, e.g., pipe,manifold or tubing. In some implementations, the cold water line 106 canbe connected directly to the single unit as shown in FIG. 2C, with thesupply line tee 218 and discharge line tee 218 within the enclosure ofthe single unit.

Operation of the normally open solenoid valve 212 is controlled by acontrol unit 227, which can be included as part of the solenoid valve212 or can be mounted separately in the space under the sink asillustrated in FIG. 2A. During normal operation of the sink faucet, thesolenoid valve 212 remains de-energized and open, thereby allowing coldwater to flow through the cold water line 106 bypassing the filter bank203.

While cold water is not prevented from flowing through the filter bank203, the back pressure produced by the filter bank 203 restricts thewater flowing through the filter bank 203 to a small amount while thesolenoid valve 212 remains open. This trickle flow prevents the waterfrom remaining stagnant in the filter bank 203. In some embodiments, oneor more venturis may be included at the discharge line tee 221 and/orthe supply line tee 218 in the cold water line 106 to help draw aportion of the cold water through the filter bank 203. This allows thewater in the filter cartridges to change over, keeping the water freshand ready for use. It also helps to reduce the water temperature in thefilter bank 203.

When the solenoid valve 212 is activated, the solenoid valve 212 closesand all of the cold water supplied to the sink faucet is routed throughthe filter bank 203, where it is filtered before being dispensed by thesink faucet. Activation of the solenoid valve 212 is controlled by thecontrol unit 227. A sensor that senses water flow, temperature, pressuremay awaken control unit 227. A generator (e.g., a micro hydro generator)can also sense flow and deliver power to awaken control unit 227 and/orsensor 230. The sensor 230 can be used to activate the solenoid valve212 to dispense filtered water while water is flowing from the faucet.The sensor 230 may be a voice sensor, touch sensor, proximity sensor,bump sensor, magnetic sensor, RF identification (RFID) sensor, infrared(IR) sensor or other appropriate sensor. When the sensor 230 detects theappropriate trigger, the sensor 230 can communicate a signal to thecontrol unit 227 to activate the solenoid valve 212. The sensor 230 maybe part of the faucet or may be separate from the faucet as illustratedin FIG. 2A. The sensor 230 may be powered by a DC power source (e.g.,batteries) or an AC source (e.g., 110V household power). In someembodiments, a generator (e.g., a micro hydro generator) can beinstalled in the cold water line 106 to provide some or all of the DC orAC power. Water flowing through the cold water line 106 can turn thegenerator to produce power for the control unit and/or sensor 230.

The sensor 230 communicates with the control unit 227 through a wired orwireless connection. The control unit 227 includes, e.g., acommunication interface configured to receive and/or transmit signalsfrom/to the sensor 230. The control unit 227 also includes circuitryconfigured to control the operation of the solenoid valve 212. In someimplementations, the solenoid valve 212 may include the control unit227. For example, the circuitry that controls operation of the solenoidvalve may be incorporated into the solenoid valve 212. The control unit227 may include a DC or AC power supply and control relay that can applyDC or AC power to the solenoid valve 212 in response to signaling fromthe sensor 230. In some implementations, the control unit 227 can supply110 VAC power to the solenoid valve 212 to close the valve and initiatefiltering of the water being dispensed from the faucet. In otherembodiments, one or more batteries may supply the DC power for operationof the solenoid valve 212. In some embodiments, a generator can beinstalled in the cold water line 106 to provide some or all of the DC orAC power. Water flowing through the cold water line 106 can turn thegenerator to produce power for the sensor 230.

The solenoid valve 212 may be deactivated by the control unit 227 inresponse to timing out, turning off the faucet, and/or through a secondinput from the sensor 230. For instance, the control unit 227 mayinclude a timer that causes the solenoid valve 212 to be de-energizedafter a predefined interval of time. In another embodiment, when thesensor 230 senses the appropriate trigger, it can provide a secondsignal that initiates deactivation of the solenoid valve 212. In otherembodiments, a flow sensor (or flow switch) may be installed in the coldwater line 106 (e.g., in and/or above the discharge line tee 221 or inand/or below the supply line tee 218) to detect water flow to thefaucet. When flow stops, the solenoid valve 212 can be deactivated bythe control unit 227.

In other implementations, one or more pressure sensors may be used todetect pressure in the cold water line 106 after and/or before thesolenoid valve 212. When the cold water valve 215 is turned off, thepressure at the discharge line tee 221 will increase as it equalizeswith the pressure at the supply line tee 218. Detection of the pressureincrease or equalization can be used to control deactivation of thesolenoid valve 212 by the control unit 227.

In some implementations, temperature sensors can be installed in thecold water line 106 (e.g., in and/or above the discharge line tee 221 orin and/or below the supply line tee 218) to detect temperature of thecold water line 106 after and/or before the solenoid valve 212. Whilethe water is flowing, the temperature of the cold water line 106 willdrop to the temperature of the cold water supply. When the water flowstops, the cold water line 106 will begin to warm up, eventuallyreaching room temperature. Monitoring the temperature and/or changes intemperature can provide an indication of when to deactivate the solenoidvalve 212. In this way, the amount of water being filtered can belimited in a way that extends the filter life. Power for the flow,pressure and/or temperature sensors may be provided from a DC sourcesuch as batteries, an AC source such as 110V household power, agenerator installed in the cold water line 106, or a combinationthereof.

In some embodiments, the control unit 227 may shut down or enter a sleepmode to conserve power when no water is being supplied through the coldwater line 106. Operation in a sleep mode can reduce power usage by thesmart water filter system 200, thereby conserving energy and extendingthe life of a battery power supply. Water flow through the cold waterline 106 can be monitored by the control unit 227 using one or more ofthe sensors described above (e.g., the flow sensor (or flow switch), thepressure sensor(s), temperature sensor(s) and/or one or moregenerator(s)). When it is determined that the water flow through thecold water line 106 has stopped, the control unit 227 may shut down orenter a sleep mode after a predefined period. When in the sleep mode, atleast a portion of the circuitry in the control unit 227 can be powereddown to save power. The sensor(s) may be monitored (either continuouslyor periodically) by the control unit 227 to determine when water beginsto flow through the cold water line 106. When water flow is sensed, thecontrol unit 227 starts up or exits the sleep mode in preparation forproviding filtered water through the faucet.

In some implementations, a generator can be included in the cold waterline 106 to produce AC and/or DC power when water is flowing through thecold water line 106. For example, the generator can be installed inand/or above the discharge line tee 221, in section 233 of the coldwater supply line 106, or in and/or below the supply line tee 218, insection 236 of the cold water supply line 106. Water flowing through thecold water line 106 would turn the generator, which generates power foruse by, e.g., the solenoid 212, the control unit 227 and/or the sensor230 of the smart water filter system 200. As power is supplied by thegenerator with initiation of water flow through the cold water supplyline 106, it can be used to power up the smart water filter system 200.When the water flow through the cold water supply line 106 stops, thegenerator no longer supplies power and the smart water filter system 200can be shut down. A capacitor that is charged during operation of thegenerator can be used to provide power while shutting down the smartwater filter system 200. In this way, the power needs of the smart waterfilter system 200 can be satisfied without the use of an additionalpower source. In addition, water flow through the cold water supply line106 can be detected (e.g., by monitoring output voltage and/or frequencyof the generator) without the use of a separate sensor.

In some cases, the power may be used to charge a battery included in thesmart water filter system 200. By recharging the battery while water isflowing through the cold water supply line 106, the operational life ofthe battery can be extended. The control unit 227 can include voltageregulation and charging circuitry to control the power supplied to thebattery of the smart water filter system 200, and to adjust batterycharging to improve battery life. For instance, the generator may supplypower to components of the smart water filter system 200 while water isflowing through the cold water supply line 106, and charge the batteryat the same time. When the water flow stops, and the generator no longerproduces power, the battery can supply the needed power to the smartwater filter system 200. The battery can provide power during thetransition from operation of the generator until the system is shut downor enters the sleep mode, as well as any power needed during the sleepmode.

In some cases, a time delay may be provided before initiating shut downor transition to a sleep mode. This can avoid unwanted shut down/startup transients when the faucet is accidently closed for a short period oftime, such as when adjusting the water flow from the faucet. Forexample, a time delay of, e.g., about one to two seconds can ensure thatthe faucet was intentionally turned off before shutting down the systemor entering the sleep mode. If a capacitor is used to provide ridethrough power, it can be sized to store sufficient energy to transitionthrough the time delay and a subsequent shut down of the smart waterfilter system. If a battery is included, the battery can provide powerfor the transition from operation to shut down or to the sleep mode, aswell as power for the sleep mode functions.

In various embodiments, additional water treatment cartridges (e.g., oneor more fluoride, mineral, vitamin, and/or flavored cartridges) can beincluded at the inlet or outlet of the filter bank 203. For example, afluoride cartridge may be configured to add fluoride to the filteredwater. When the solenoid valve 212 is activated to begin supplyingfiltered water, fluoride may be injected (e.g., at a regulated pressure)or drawn into (e.g., through a venturi) the filtered water from thefluoride cartridge. A cartridge supply valve may be controlled by thecontrol unit 227 in tandem with the solenoid valve 212. Other types ofwater treatment may also be possible.

Referring next to FIG. 3B, shown is a schematic diagram of anotherexample of the smart water filter system 200 comprising a conditioningsystem 830. As in the example of FIGS. 2A and 3A, the smart water filtersystem 200 includes a filter bank 203 attached to a cold water line 106of a sink. A supply line 206 for the filter bank 203 is connected fromthe cold water line 106, between a cold water cutoff valve 209 and athree-port solenoid valve 312. The cold water line 106 includes a supplyline tee 218 connecting the supply line 206. A discharge line 224 isconnected from the filter bank 203 to a first port of the three-portsolenoid valve 312. The cold water line 106 is connected to a secondport of the three-port solenoid valve 312. The output port of thethree-port solenoid valve 312 is connected to the cold water valve 215of the faucet. Faucets that control hot and cold water flow through asingle valve mechanism may also be used. In some implementations, agenerator can be installed in and/or above the three-port solenoid valve312, in section 233 of the cold water supply line 106, or in and/orbelow the supply line tee 218, in section 236 of the cold water supplyline 106.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the three-port solenoid valve 312 is usedto switch the second port connected to the cold water line 106 and thefirst port connected to the discharge line 224 of the filter bank 203.When deactivated, the three-port solenoid valve 312 directs water fromthe cold water line 106 to the outlet port of the three-port solenoidvalve 312 to supply unfiltered cold water to the faucet. When thecontrol unit 227 activates the three-port solenoid valve 312, thethree-port solenoid valve 312 directs water from the discharge line 224of the filter bank 203 to the outlet port of the three-port solenoidvalve 312 to supply filtered cold water to the faucet.

A sensor 230 can be used to activate the three-port solenoid valve 312to dispense filtered water while water is flowing from the faucet in thesame way as previously described with respect to solenoid valve 212 ofFIG. 3A. The sensor 230 communicates with the control unit 227 through awired or wireless connection to initiate activation of the three-portsolenoid valve 312. The three-port solenoid valve 312 may be deactivatedby the control unit 227 by timing out, turning off the faucet, and/orthrough a second input from the sensor 230 as previously described. Insome implementations, the three-port solenoid valve 312 can include thecircuitry of the control unit 227.

Referring next to FIG. 3C, shown is a schematic diagram of anotherexample of the smart water filter system 200 comprising a conditioningsystem 830. As in the examples of FIGS. 2A and 3A, the smart waterfilter system 200 includes a filter bank 203 attached to a cold waterline 106 of a sink. A supply line 206 for the filter bank 203 isconnected from the cold water line 106, between a cold water cutoffvalve 209 and a first solenoid valve 212. A discharge line 224 isconnected from the filter bank 203 to the cold water line 106 betweenthe solenoid valve 212 and a cold water valve 215 of the faucet. Thecold water line 106 includes a discharge line tee 221 and/or a supplyline tee 218 for connecting the discharge line 224 and supply line 206,respectively. The discharge line 224 includes a second solenoid valve412 between the filter bank 203 and the discharge line tee 221.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3C, the first and second solenoid valves 212and 412 are used to switch between supplying unfiltered water from thecold water line 106 and filtered water from the discharge line of thefilter bank 203. The first solenoid valve 212 is a normally open valveand the second solenoid valve is a normally closed valve. The controlunit 227 controls the operation of both the first and second solenoidvalves 212 and 412. When the first and second solenoid valves 212 and412 are deactivated, the first solenoid valve 212 directs unfilteredwater from the cold water line 106 to the faucet while the secondsolenoid valve 412 stops water flow from the filter bank 203. When thecontrol unit 227 activates the first and second solenoid valves 212 and412, the second solenoid valve 412 allows filtered water from thedischarge line 224 of the filter bank 203 to flow to the faucet whilethe first solenoid valve 212 stops the unfiltered water flow.

A sensor 230 can be used to activate the first and second solenoidvalves 212 and 412 to dispense filtered water while water is flowingfrom the faucet in the same way as previously described with respect tosolenoid valve 212 of FIG. 3A. The sensor 230 communicates with thecontrol unit 227 through a wired or wireless connection to initiateactivation of the first and second solenoid valves 212 and 412. Thefirst and second solenoid valves 212 and 412 may be deactivated by thecontrol unit 227 by timing out, turning off the faucet, and/or through asecond input from the sensor 230 as previously described. In someimplementations, the first and/or second solenoid valves 212/412 caninclude the circuitry of the control unit 227.

Referring now to FIG. 3D, shown is a schematic diagram of an alternateexample of the smart water filter system 200 of FIG. 3C comprising aconditioning system 830. In the example of FIG. 3D, the supply line 206includes the second solenoid valve 412 between the supply line tee 218and the filter bank 203. When the first and second solenoid valves 212and 412 are deactivated, the first solenoid valve 212 directs unfilteredwater from the cold water line 106 to the faucet while the secondsolenoid valve 412 stops water flow to the filter bank 203. When thecontrol unit 227 activates the first and second solenoid valves 212 and412, the second solenoid valve 412 supplies water to the filter bank 203and thus allows filtered water to flow through the discharge line 224 tothe faucet while the first solenoid valve 212 stops the unfiltered waterflow.

A sensor 230 can be used to activate the first and second solenoidvalves 212 and 412 to dispense filtered water while water is flowingfrom the faucet in the same way as previously described with respect tosolenoid valve 212 of FIG. 3A. The sensor 230 communicates with thecontrol unit 227 through a wired or wireless connection to initiateactivation of the first and second solenoid valves 212 and 412. Thefirst and second solenoid valves 212 and 412 may be deactivated by thecontrol unit 227 by timing out, turning off the faucet, and/or through asecond input from the sensor 230 as previously described. In someimplementations, the first and/or second solenoid valves 212/412 caninclude the circuitry of the control unit 227.

Operation of the smart water filter system 200 will now be discussedwith respect to the example of FIG. 3A. In one implementation, amongothers, the sensor 230 of the smart water filter system 200 can be aRFID sensor that detects RFIDs that are attached to a container such as,e.g., a water glass, pitcher or other water vessel. Initially, a user ofthe smart water filter system 200 turns on the faucet to supply coldwater. With the normally open solenoid valve 212 deactivated, unfilteredwater flows through the cold water line 106 and out of the faucet. Inthe example of FIG. 3A, only a small amount of water flows through thefilter bank and mixes with the unfiltered water. In the examples ofFIGS. 3B-3D, water flow through the filter bank 203 is stopped by thethree-port solenoid valve 312 or the second solenoid valve 412.

If the smart water filter system 200 includes a generator in the coldwater supply line 106, turning on the faucet initiates water flowthrough the generator and production of power for the smart water filtersystem 200. If the smart water filter system 200 was shut down,production of power by the generator can initiate the startup of thesmart water filter system 200. If in a sleep mode, the smart waterfilter system 200 can be woken up for operation. If other sensors areused to monitor water flow, the system can be started up or woken up inresponse to an appropriate indication from the sensor. The smart waterfilter system 200 can then begin monitoring for an indication from thesensor 230.

When the user desires filtered water to be dispensed through the faucet103, the user places a water glass with an RFID next to the sensor 230,which causes the control unit 227 to activate the solenoid valve 212 inFIG. 3A (or three-port solenoid valve 312 in FIG. 3B or first and secondsolenoid valves 212 and 412 in FIGS. 3C and 3D). The flow of unfilteredwater to the faucet 103 through the cold water line 106 is stopped andredirected to the filter bank 203, where it is filtered and provided tothe faucet through the discharge line. Because of the added restrictionof the filter bank 203, the water flow from the faucet is reduced whenthe solenoid valve 212 is activated.

Filtered water continues to flow from the faucet until the solenoidvalve 212 is deactivated using one of the methods described above. Forexample, the solenoid valve 212 may be deactivated by turning off thecold water valve 215. When the end of the water flow is detected by thecontrol unit 227 using one of the methods (e.g., using flow sensor(s),flow switch(es), pressure sensor(s), temperature sensor(s) and/orgenerator(s)), the control unit 227 deactivates the solenoid valve 212allowing unfiltered water to be supplied through the faucet again.Alternatively, the water glass with the RFID may be placed next to thesensor 230, which communicates a second signal to the control unit 227causing the solenoid valve to be deactivated. In this case, the coldwater may continue to flow during deactivation of the solenoid valve212.

Dispensing the filtered water may be controlled using other types ofsensors as well. For example, a magnetic sensor may be used in place ofan RFID sensor. A container may include a magnetic component to activateand/or deactivate the flow of filtered water through the faucet 103. Insome implementations, a touch sensor, proximity sensor, bump sensor orIR sensor can be used to control the smart water filter system 200. Forexample, proximity sensor or IR sensor can detect when a user's hand isplaced in position to activate or deactivate the flow of filtered water.A touch sensor or bump sensor can be used to physically control thesystem operation. In some cases, the sensor may be integrated into thefaucet for ease of use. Voice control may also be possible through avoice sensor. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the sensor230 to include a touch sensor that reads a person's hydration level andprovide feedback to the person via the sensor 230 or via wirelesscommunication with a smart device such as, but not limited to, a laptop,tablet, smart phone and/or personal monitoring device that can be worn.The information may be displayed or accessible through an application(or app) executing on the smart device.

While the present disclosure discusses the electrically operated valvesin the context of solenoid valves, other electrically controlled valvessuch as motorized valves or other electrically operated valves may alsobe utilized. In addition, the solenoid valves have been described asnormally-open or normally-closed when deactivated. This allows thesystem to still provide water flow through the cold water line 106 evenif power to the solenoid valves fails. However, in alternativeimplementations, solenoid valve 212 may be normally-closed solenoidvalve. In that case, the control unit 227 maintains the solenoid valve212 in an activated condition to allow for unfiltered water flow anddeactivates the solenoid valve 212 to supply filtered water. Similarly,solenoid valves 412 may be normally-open solenoid valves that remainenergized by the control unit 227 until filtered water is desired by theuser.

The smart water filter system 200 of FIGS. 2A-2C and 3A-3D may alsoinclude other features such as a water chiller and/or water carbonation.Referring to FIG. 4A, shown is a smart water filter system 400comprising the smart water filter system 200 of FIG. 3A comprising aconditioning system 830 with a chiller unit 403 installed between thefilter bank 203 and discharge line 224 connected to the cold water line106 at the discharge line tee 221. The chiller unit 403 can be mountedin the space under the sink as illustrated in FIG. 2A. In the smartwater filter system 400 of FIG. 4A, operation of the normally-opensolenoid valve 212 controls filtered water flow through the chiller unit403. As discussed with respect to FIG. 3A, operation of the normallyopen solenoid valve 212 is controlled by control unit 227. During normaloperation of the sink faucet, the solenoid valve 212 remainsde-energized and open allowing cold water to flow through the cold waterline 106 bypassing the filter bank 203 and the chiller unit 403. Thechiller unit 403 can include a reservoir that holds a defined volume offiltered water, which can be maintained at or below a preset temperatureor within a preset temperature band. For example, the chiller unit 403may cycle on and off to maintain the water temperature within a definedtemperature range such as, e.g., about 35° F. to about 40° F. Thetemperature range of the chilled water may be adjusted through controlsettings of the chiller unit 403.

In some embodiments, cold water is prevented from flowing through filterbank 203 when the smart water filter system 200 is not activated. Whilein other embodiments, cold water is not prevented from flowing throughthe filter bank 203 and the chiller unit 403, the back pressure producedby the filter bank 203 and chiller unit 403 restricts the water flowingthrough the filter bank 203 and chiller unit 403 to a small amount whilethe solenoid valve 212 remains open. This trickle flow can prevent thewater from remaining stagnant in the filter bank 203 and chiller unit403. It can also help maintain the temperature of the water in thedischarge line 224 below the ambient temperature, which may reduce thetime it takes to dispense chilled water from the faucet 103. In someembodiments, a venturi may be included to help draw a portion of thecold water through the filter bank 203 and the chiller unit 403.

As discussed with respect to FIG. 3A, the solenoid valve 212 closes whenactivated and all of the cold water supplied to the sink faucet isrouted through the filter bank 203 and the chiller unit 304 as shown inFIG. 4A. The water is filtered by the filter bank 203 and the filteredwater is cooled by the chiller unit 403 before being dispensed by thesink faucet 103. Activation of the solenoid valve 212 is controlled bythe control unit 227. A sensor 230 (FIG. 3A) can be used to activate thesolenoid valve 212 to dispense chilled filtered water while water isflowing from the faucet. When the sensor 230 detects the appropriatetrigger, the sensor 230 can communicate a signal to the control unit 227to activate the solenoid valve 212. The control unit 227 can also ensurethat the chiller unit 403 is operating when the appropriate trigger isreceived. For example, the control unit 227 can start the chiller unit403 when the solenoid valve 212 is activated to avoid any delay incooling the filtered water. An indication can be provided to the user toindicate when cool filtered water is being dispensed. For instance, atemperature sensitive strip (or other indicator) may be included on thefaucet to provide a visual indication of the temperature of the waterbeing dispensed. The solenoid valve 212 may be deactivated by thecontrol unit 227 in response to timing out, turning off the faucet,and/or through a second input from the sensor 230 as previouslydiscussed.

The chiller unit 403 may also control the water temperature in thereservoir based upon the time of day. For example, the water temperaturemay be maintained at a higher temperature during time periods (e.g., 12am to 6 am or 1 am to 5 am) when little water is being used. This cansave energy by reducing the power consumption of the chiller unit 403.If the smart water filter system 400 is activated during that timeperiod, the chiller unit 403 can automatically reduce the watertemperature to within the preset temperature band. In some cases, thecontrol unit 227 and/or the chiller unit 403 can monitor and learn thewater usage patterns of the household, which can be used to controlsleep modes and/or reduced power usage states.

Referring to FIGS. 4B through 4D, shown are smart water filter systems400 comprising the smart water filter systems 200 of FIGS. 3B through3D, respectively, comprising a conditioning system 830 including achiller unit 403 installed between the filter bank 203 and dischargeline 224. Operation of the three-port solenoid valve 312 of FIG. 4B andthe first and second solenoid valves 212 and 412 of FIGS. 4C and 4Dcontrols water flow through the filter bank 203 and chiller unit 403 asdiscussed with respect to FIGS. 3B through 3D, respectively. Operationof the chiller unit 403 is consistent with that described with respectto FIG. 4A.

Referring next to FIG. 5A, shown is a smart water filter system 500comprising the smart water filter system 200 of FIG. 3A comprising aconditioning system 830 with a carbonation system 503 installed in thedischarge line 224 between the filter bank 203 and the discharge linetee 221. The carbonation system 503 includes a carbon dioxide (CO₂)canister 506 that stores pressurized CO₂ that is supplied to acarbonator tank 509 for carbonation of the filtered water. A pressureregulator 512 at the outlet of the CO₂ canister 506 controls thepressure of the CO₂ supplied to the carbonator tank 509. In someembodiments, the pressure regulator 512 can include a pressure gauge.For example, the CO₂ may be supplied to the carbonator tank 509 at apressure of about 45-100 pounds per square inch (psi).

A carbonator pump 515 boosts the pressure of the filtered water that issupplied to the carbonator tank 509. A pulsation damper (not shown) canbe included at the inlet of the carbonator pump 515 to preventpulsations from being transmitted back to the cold water line 106.Coiling coils 518 can also be included between the carbonator pump 515and the carbonator tank 509 to remove at least a portion of the heatadded to the filtered water by the carbonator pump 515. A check valve inthe water inlet of the carbonator tank 509 can prevent backflow to thecarbonator pump 515. Normally-open and normally-closed solenoid valves521 a and 521 b, respectively, are used to control flow of carbonatedwater through the sink faucet 103 as will be discussed.

In some implementations, a normally-closed solenoid valve (not shown)may be included between the pressure regulator 512 and the carbonatortank 509 to prevent the carbonator tank 509 from remaining pressurizedwhen the carbonation system 593 is not being used. Activation of thissolenoid valve can be controlled in the same fashion as solenoid valves521 a and 521 b, where activation opens the solenoid valve to allow CO₂to be added to the filtered water in the carbonator tank 509. Thecarbonation system 503 can be mounted in the space under the sink asillustrated in FIG. 2A.

In the smart water filter system 500 of FIG. 5A, operation of thenormally open solenoid valve 212 controls water flow through the filterbank 203 as previously discussed with respect to FIG. 3A. During normaloperation of the sink faucet 103, the solenoid valve 212 remainsde-energized and open allowing cold water to flow through the cold waterline 106 bypassing the filter bank 203 and the carbonation system 503.When the solenoid valve 212 is activated, the solenoid valve 212 closesand all of the cold water supplied to the sink faucet is routed throughthe filter bank 203, where it is filtered before being dispensed by thesink faucet 103. Activation of the solenoid valve 212 is controlled bythe control unit 227. A sensor 230 (FIG. 3A) can be used to activate thesolenoid valve 212 to dispense filtered water while water is flowingfrom the faucet.

If carbonation of the filtered water is not desired or activated, thensolenoid valves 521 a and 521 b remain deactivated and uncarbonatedfiltered water is routed to the faucet 103 via normally-open solenoidvalve 521 a. When carbonated water is desired by a user, control unit227 can active solenoid valves 521 a and 521 b to divert the filteredwater flow through the carbonation system 503 by closing solenoid valve521 a and opening solenoid valve 521 b. The control unit 227 alsoinitiates operation of the carbonator pump 515 to begin injecting thepressurized water into the carbonator tank 509. Filtered water flowsfrom the filter bank 203 through the carbonator pump 515 to thecarbonator tank 509, where it is combined with the CO₂ from the CO₂canister 506. The carbonated water then flows from the carbonator tank509 to the faucet 103 through solenoid valve 521 b. Solenoid valve 521 aremains closed to prevent backflow of the carbonated water.

The sensor 230 can be used to activate the solenoid valves 521 a and 521b to dispense carbonated water while water is flowing from the faucet103. When the sensor 230 detects the appropriate trigger, the sensor 230can communicate a signal to the control unit 227 to activate thesolenoid valve 212. When the sensor 230 detects a second trigger, thesensor 230 can communicate a signal to the control unit 227 to activatethe solenoid valves 521 a and 521 b to provide carbonated water. Forinstance, the sensor 230 of the smart water filter system 500 can be aRFID sensor that detects RFIDs that are attached to a container such as,e.g., a water glass, pitcher or other water vessel. By placing thecontainer within range of the RFID sensor once, the control unit canactivate solenoid valve 212 to provide uncarbonated filtered water.Carbonated water can be supplied by placing the container within rangeof the RFID sensor a second time within a predefined time period. Withthe appropriate trigger, solenoid valves 521 a and 521 b and carbonationpump 515 can be activated by control unit 227 to divert filtered waterthrough the carbonation system 503. Solenoid valves 212, 521 a and 521 band carbonation pump 515 may be deactivated by the control unit 227 inresponse to timing out, turning off the faucet, and/or through a secondinput from the sensor 230.

Referring to FIGS. 5B through 5D, shown are smart water filter systems500 comprising the smart water filter systems 200 of FIGS. 3B through3D, respectively, comprising a conditioning system 830 including acarbonation system 503 installed in the discharge line 224. Operation ofthe three-port solenoid valve 312 of FIG. 5B and the first and secondsolenoid valves 212 and 412 of FIGS. 5C and 5D controls water flowthrough the filter bank 203 as discussed with respect to FIGS. 3Bthrough 3D, respectively. Solenoid valves 521 a and 521 b and thecarbonation pump 515 can be activated by the control unit 227 to controlthe flow of water through the carbonation system 503 as described withrespect to FIG. 5A.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6D, shown are smart water filter systems 600comprising the smart water filter systems 200 of FIG. 3A-3D comprising aconditioning system 830 with a chiller unit 403 and a carbonation system503 installed between the filter bank 203 and the cold water line 106.Operation of the smart water filter system 600 of FIG. 6A is consistentwith that described with respect to FIGS. 4A and 5A. Operation of thesolenoid valves 212, 521 a and 521 b, and the carbonator pump 515 iscontrolled by the control unit 227. As described with respect to thesmart water filter system 400 of FIG. 4A, operation of the normally opensolenoid valve 212 by the control unit 227 controls filtered water flowthrough the filter bank 203 and the chiller unit 403. Operation of thesolenoid valves 521 a and 521 b, and the carbonator pump 515, to providecarbonated filtered water is controlled by the control unit 227. Withthe chiller unit 403 supplying the carbonation system 503, the coolingcoils 518 may be eliminated from the carbonation system 503. Theoperation of the smart water filter systems 600 of FIGS. 6B-6D isconsistent with that described with respect to FIGS. 4B-4D and 5B-5D.

Referring next to FIG. 7, shown is an example of the control unit 227 ofthe smart water filter system 200 (FIG. 2). In the example of FIG. 7,the control unit 227 includes a processor such as a microcontroller unit(MCU) 703 and memory 706. Power for the smart water filter system 200can be provided by a DC source 709 (e.g., a battery), an AC source 712(e.g., 110V household power), or a generator 715 (e.g., a micro-hydrogenerator). A power control 718 includes circuitry that interfaces withone or more power sources 709, 712 and/or 715, and controls monitoringand distribution of the power to components of the smart water filtersystem 200. For example, the power control 718 can be configured toprovide low voltage power to the MCU 703, memory 706 and various othercomponents through a power distribution bus.

The power control 718 may also be configured to provide a higher voltageto a solenoid driver 721 for energizing one or more solenoid valve 724(e.g., solenoid 212, three-port solenoid valve 312, solenoid 412 and/orsolenoid 521). In addition, the power control 718 can monitor one ormore of the power sources 709, 712 and/or 715, and provide an indicationof the condition of a power source 709, 712 and/or 715, to the MCU 703.For example, the power control 718 can monitor battery conditions suchas voltage level and provide an indication to the MCU 703. In the caseof the generator 715, the power control 718 can provide an indication tothe MCU 703 that power is being produced by the generator 715. Such anindication can be used to indicate water flow through the water supplyline.

Other sensors 727 can also be used to provide an indication of waterflow such as, e.g., an in-line flow sensor, flow switch, temperaturesensors and/or pressure sensors. The control unit 227 can also includeswitches 730 for user configuration of the smart water filter system 200and indicators (e.g., LEDs) 733 to provide visual indications of theoperational condition of the system. A radio frequency (RF) transceiver736 can also be included in the control unit 227 to allow for wirelesscommunication with a smart device (e.g., a laptop, tablet and/or smartphone) and/or for connection to a network for remote communications. TheRF transceiver 736 can support wireless communication protocols such as,but not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and/or NFC (near fieldcommunication).

As previously discussed, one or more sensors 230 can be used to activateone or more solenoid valve(s) 724 to dispense filtered water while wateris flowing from the faucet. Sensors 230 include, but are not limited tomagnetic proximity switches (e.g., reed switches and hall effectswitches) that can be activated when a magnet comes in proximity of theswitch, passive infrared (IR) sensors that can be activated when anobject passes through the IR beam, ultrasonic sensors that can beactivated when an object passes through the ultrasonic field, microwavesensors and/or tomographic sensors that can be activated when an objectpasses through the sensing field, photoelectric sensors that can beactivated when an object breaks the beam, mechanical sensors that can beactivated when a lever and/or cable is moved, electromechanical sensorssuch as a strain gauge, load cell, resistive bend or flex sensor,electromechanical (bump) switches and/or tilt switches, metal detectorsusing very low frequencies (VLF), pulse induction and/or beat frequencyoscillator (BFO) detectors, capacitive sensing, RF identification(RFID), thermal detectors that can be activated by a specifiedtemperature change, and/or sound detectors that can be activated byclaps, taps or clicks, or voice detectors that can be activated by avoice command. A sensor 230 can be surface mounted above or on thecounter top or top of the sink, can be mounted below the counter top orsink (e.g., in the cabinet) and/or can be integrated into a component ofthe sink such as, e.g., the faucet, soap dispenser or other sink/countertop fixture. The sensor 230 can be communicatively coupled to thecontrol unit 227 though a hard wire connection or through a wirelessconnection. For example, the sensor may communicate with the MCU 703 ofthe control unit 227 via the RF transceiver 736.

Various examples of sensors 230 will now be discussed with respect toFIGS. 8A-8K. As can be understood, individual sensors 230 orcombinations of sensors 230 can be used to initiate the provision offiltered water through the faucet using a conditioning system 830comprising, e.g., a filter bank 203, a chiller unit 403 and/orcarbonation system 503 (for example, see FIGS. 2A-6D). While theexamples of FIGS. 8A-8K illustrate the control unit 227 controllingwater flow through the water conditioning system 830 using a singlesolenoid valve 212 as discussed with respect to FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A;other flow control implementations are equally possible. For example,the control unit 227 can control the water flow using a three-portsolenoid valve 312 as illustrated in FIGS. 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B or twosolenoid valves 212 and 412 as illustrated in FIGS. 3C, 4C, 5C and 6C orFIGS. 3D, 4D, 5D and 6D.

FIG. 8A shows an example of an above sink/counter sensor 230 acomprising a magnetic proximity switch (e.g., a reed switch or a HallEffect switch) and a manual tactile push button switch 803. In otherembodiments, only a magnetic proximity switch or a manual tactile pushbutton switch may be included. Either switch, when actuated, will causethe sensor 230 a to communicate a signal to the control unit 227 toinitiate provision of filtered water, refrigerated water, and/or anamount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive through the faucet ifwater is flowing. The signal can be communicated to the control unit 227through a wireless connection 806, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, or via awired connection. As can be understood, the tactile push button switch803 is activated when manually depressed. In contrast, the magneticproximity switch is activated when a magnet such as the magnet 809 in acontainer 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) is placedproximate to the reed switch or Hall Effect switch in the sensor 230 a.The reed switch is closed by the magnet to actuate the sensor 230 a andthe Hall Effect switch produces a voltage change in response to thepresence of the magnetic field. Power for the sensor 230 a can beprovided by an internal battery, a wired power connection, or otherappropriate power supply.

FIG. 8B shows an example of a below sink/counter sensor 230 b comprisinga magnetic proximity switch (e.g., a reed switch or a Hall Effectsensor). The magnetic proximity switch is activated when a magnet suchas the magnet 809 in a container 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup,pitcher, etc.) is placed proximate to the reed switch or Hall Effectswitch in the sensor 230 b. The magnetic proximity switch, whenactuated, will cause the sensor 230 b to communicate a signal to thecontrol unit 227 to initiate provision of filtered water, refrigeratedwater, and/or an amount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive throughthe faucet. The signal can be communicated to the control unit 227through a wireless connection 806 (FIG. 8A) or via a wired connection815, as illustrated in FIG. 8B. In some embodiments, an additional abovesink/counter manual tactile push button switch, which can separatelycommunicate with the control unit 227, may be included. Power for thesensor 230 b can be provided by an internal battery, a wired powerconnection, or other appropriate power supply.

FIG. 8C shows an example of an above sink/counter sensor 230 ccomprising a passive IR proximity switch. The passive IR proximityswitch includes a solid state device that is activated when an objectsuch as a container 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) orhand moves into the IR sensing field. No specific material or othercommunication device is needed to actuate the passive IR proximityswitch. The sensor 230 c can also include a manual tactile push buttonswitch 803. As previously discussed, the tactile push button switch 803is activated when manually depressed. The passive IR proximity switch,when actuated, will cause the sensor 230 c to communicate a signal tothe control unit 227 to initiate provision of filtered water,refrigerated water, and/or an amount of carbonation, flavor, and/oradditive through the faucet. The signal can be communicated to thecontrol unit 227 through a wireless connection 806, as illustrated inFIG. 8C, or via a wired connection 815 (FIG. 8B). Power for the sensor230 c can be provided by an internal battery, a wired power connection,or other appropriate power supply. While the example of FIG. 8C shows anabove sink/counter sensor 230 c, other implementations can include abelow sink/counter sensor 230 c configured with the IR sensing fieldprojecting through the sink/counter in a similar fashion.

FIG. 8D shows an example of an above sink/counter sensor 230 dcomprising an RFID switch. The RFID switch includes a solid state devicethat is activated when an object such as a container 812 (e.g., adrinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) is identified using RFidentification. The RFID switch is activated when an RFID such as thechip 818 in a container 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.)responds to an RF query from the sensor 230 d. The sensor 230 d can alsoinclude a manual tactile push button switch 803. As previouslydiscussed, the tactile push button switch 803 is activated when manuallydepressed. The RFID switch, when actuated, will cause the sensor 230 dto communicate a signal to the control unit 227 to initiate provision offiltered water, refrigerated water, and/or an amount of carbonation,flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. The signal can becommunicated to the control unit 227 through a wireless connection 806,as illustrated in FIG. 8D, or via a wired connection 815 (FIG. 8B).Power for the sensor 230 d can be provided by an internal battery, awired power connection, or other appropriate power supply. While theexample of FIG. 8D shows an above sink/counter sensor 230 d, otherimplementations can include a below sink/counter sensor 230 d configuredto operate in a similar fashion.

FIG. 8E shows an example of an above sink/counter sensor 230 ecomprising a photoelectric sensing beam switch. The photoelectricsensing beam switch includes a solid state device that projects asensing beam of light towards a photoelectric sensor. The photoelectricsensing beam switch is activated when an object such as a container 812(e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) or hand disrupts or breaksthe sensing beam. No specific material or other communication device isneeded to actuate the photoelectric sensing beam switch. The sensor 230e can also include a manual tactile push button switch 803. Aspreviously discussed, the tactile push button switch 803 is activatedwhen manually depressed. The photoelectric sensing beam switch, whenactuated, will cause the sensor 230 e to communicate a signal to thecontrol unit 227 to initiate provision of filtered water, refrigeratedwater, and/or an amount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive throughthe faucet. The signal can be communicated to the control unit 227through a wireless connection 806, as illustrated in FIG. 8D, or via awired connection 815 (FIG. 8B). Power for the sensor 230 e can beprovided by an internal battery, a wired power connection, or otherappropriate power supply.

FIG. 8F shows an example of an above sink/counter sensor 230 fcomprising a voice sensing switch. The voice sensing switch is activatedwhen a voice, word or phrase is recognized by processing circuitry inthe sensor 230 f. The sensor 230 f can also include a manual tactilepush button switch 803 (not shown in FIG. 8F). As previously discussed,the tactile push button switch 803 is activated when manually depressed.The voice sensing switch, when actuated, will cause the sensor 230 f tocommunicate a signal to the control unit 227 to initiate provision offiltered water, refrigerated water, and/or an amount of carbonation,flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. The signal can becommunicated to the control unit 227 through a wireless connection 806,as illustrated in FIG. 8F, or via a wired connection 815 (FIG. 8B).Power for the sensor 230 f can be provided by an internal battery, awired power connection, or other appropriate power supply.

FIG. 8G shows an example of a below sink/counter sensor 230 g comprisinga capacitive proximity switch. The capacitive proximity switch includesa solid state device that senses changes in capacitance when objectapproach the sensor 230 g. The capacitive proximity switch is activatedwhen an object such as a container 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup,pitcher, etc.) is placed proximate to the sensor 230 g, thereby changingthe capacitance. The capacitive proximity switch, when actuated basedupon a comparison of the sensed capacitance with a defined limit, willcause the sensor 230 g to communicate a signal to the control unit 227to initiate provision of filtered water, refrigerated water, and/or anamount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. Thesignal can be communicated to the control unit 227 through a wirelessconnection 806 or via a wired connection 815, as illustrated in FIG. 8G.In some embodiments, an additional above sink/counter sensor 230 with amanual tactile push button switch 803, and which can separatelycommunicate with the control unit 227, may be included. Power for thesensor 230 g can be provided by an internal battery, a wired powerconnection, or other appropriate power supply. While the example of FIG.8G shows a below sink/counter sensor 230 g, other implementations caninclude an above sink/counter sensor 230 g configured with thecapacitive proximity switch in a similar fashion.

Other types of capacitive touch sensors can also be utilized by thesmart water filter system 200. FIG. 8H shows an example of a capacitivetouch sensor 230 h that utilizes the faucet as a portion of the sensingcircuit. In the example of FIG. 8H, the capacitive touch sensor 230 h ismounted to the cold water inlet fitting of the faucet 103. Thecapacitive touch sensor 230 h includes a solid state device that senseschanges in capacitance when the faucet 103 is touched. The capacitivetouch sensor 230 h is activated when a sufficient change in thecapacitance is sensed. In some implementations, a defined sequence orpattern of touches can be used to actuate the capacitive touch sensor230 h. The capacitive touch sensor 230 h, when actuated based upon acomparison of the sensed capacitance with a defined limit, will causethe sensor 230 h to communicate a signal to the control unit 227 toinitiate provision of filtered water, refrigerated water, and/or anamount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. Thesignal can be communicated to the control unit 227 through a wirelessconnection 806 (FIG. 8A) or via a wired connection 815, as illustratedin FIG. 8H. Power for the sensor 230 h can be provided by an internalbattery, a wired power connection, or other appropriate power supply. Insome embodiments, the capacitive touch sensor 230 h can be an abovesink/counter sensor that is mounted to a portion of the faucet 103 abovethe counter. For example, the capacitive touch sensor 230 h can becoupled to the faucet and positioned on the counter between the faucetand a back splash behind the faucet 103.

In some embodiments, sensors can be integrated in the faucet 103. FIG.8I shows an example of a faucet 103 integrated with a sensor 230 iincluding a photoelectric sensing beam switch. In the example of FIG.8I, the faucet 103 includes a solid state device that projects a sensingbeam of light from a source towards a photoelectric sensor, which arelocated on the front and back of the faucet spout. In other embodiments,the sensing beam and photoelectric sensor can be located in differentorientations and/or positions on the faucet 103. The photoelectricsensing beam switch is activated when an object such as a container 812(e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) or hand disrupts or breaksthe sensing beam. No specific material or other communication device isneeded to actuate the photoelectric sensing beam switch. In someimplementations, a defined sequence or pattern of breaks can be used toactuate the sensor 230 i. In some embodiments, an additional abovesink/counter sensor 230 with a manual tactile push button switch 803(FIG. 8A), and which can separately communicate with the control unit227, may be included. The photoelectric sensing beam switch, whenactuated, will cause the sensor 230 i to communicate a signal to thecontrol unit 227 to initiate provision of filtered water, refrigeratedwater, and/or an amount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive throughthe faucet. The signal can be communicated to the control unit 227through a wireless connection 806 (FIG. 8A) or via a wired connection815, as illustrated in FIG. 8I. Power for the sensor 230 i can beprovided by an internal battery, a wired power connection, or otherappropriate power supply.

FIG. 8J shows an example of a faucet 103 integrated with a sensor 230 jincluding a passive IR proximity switch. In the example of FIG. 8J, thefaucet 103 includes a solid state device that projects an IR sensingfield under the faucet spout. In other embodiments, the IR sensing fieldcan be located in different orientations and/or positions on the faucet103. The passive IR proximity switch is activated when an object such asa container 812 (e.g., a drinking glass, cup, pitcher, etc.) or handmoves into the IR sensing field. No specific material or othercommunication device is needed to actuate the photoelectric sensing beamswitch. In some implementations, a defined sequence or pattern ofmovements through the IR sensing field can be used to actuate the sensor230 j. In some embodiments, an additional above sink/counter sensor 230with a manual tactile push button switch 803 (FIG. 8A), and which canseparately communicate with the control unit 227, may be included. Thepassive IR proximity switch, when actuated, will cause the sensor 230 jto communicate a signal to the control unit 227 to initiate provision offiltered water, refrigerated water, and/or an amount of carbonation,flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. The signal can becommunicated to the control unit 227 through a wireless connection 806(FIG. 8A) or via a wired connection 815, as illustrated in FIG. 8J.Power for the sensor 230 j can be provided by an internal battery, awired power connection, or other appropriate power supply.

FIG. 8K shows an example of an above sink/counter touch screen sensor230 k. The touch screen sensor 230 k can be activated by selecting theappropriate option through the touch screen. The touch screen sensor 230k, when actuated, will communicate a signal to the control unit 227 toinitiate provision of filtered water, refrigerated water, and/or anamount of carbonation, flavor, and/or additive through the faucet. Thesignal can be communicated to the control unit 227 through a wirelessconnection 806, as illustrated in FIG. 8K, or via a wired connection815. Power for the sensor 230 k can be provided by an internal battery,a wired power connection, or other appropriate power supply. While theexample of FIG. 8K shows a touch screen sensor 230 k on the counter, thetouch screen sensor 230 k can be mounted in other locations in otherimplementations as can be appreciated. In some embodiments, the sensor230 k can include a touch sensor that reads the person's hydration leveland provides feedback to the person via sensor 230 k or via wirelesscommunication with a smart device such as, but not limited to, a laptop,tablet, smart phone, personal monitoring device that can be worn, and/orother device having an appropriate app.

In some embodiments, patterns in water flow through the faucet can bemonitored to identify when the smart water filtering system should beactivated. The flow sensor can be used to monitor the variations inwater flow through the cold water line 106 for identifiable patternsthat can be used to initiate operation of the smart water filter system200. For example, when water flow is first established at or above afirst defined level (e.g., at or above 95% of full flow through thefaucet 103) or to full flow, and then reduced to at or below a seconddefined level (e.g., at or below 50% of full flow) within a predefinedtime period, then the control unit 227 can initiate provision offiltered water, refrigerated water, and/or an amount of carbonation,flavor, and/or additive through the faucet 103. The control unit 227 canlearn the amount of water flow that corresponds to full flow through thefaucet during the initial installation and setup of the smart waterfilter system 200. The control unit 227 may send a signal to a sensor230 above the counter to provide an indication to the user that thefiltering (or other function) has been initiated. For example, the touchscreen sensor 230 k of FIG. 8K can display a message (or a light may beactivated on a sensor 230 of FIGS. 8A-8K) in response to the signal fromthe control unit 227. The smart water filter system 200 (or solenoidvalve 212) can be deactivated when the water flow through the cold waterline 106 is subsequently shut off or when the water flow is subsequentlyincreased to or above the first defined level (or to full flow).

In some implementations, the control unit 227 can include controls (orapplications) for monitoring and/or personalization of the operation ofthe smart water filter system 200. For example, the control unit 227 canmonitor usage of, e.g., the filter bank 203, CO₂ canister 506 and/orchiller unit 403 to provide maintenance feedback to the user,maintenance personnel and/or equipment supplier. For instance,indications can be provided to replace a filter and/or CO₂ canisterbased upon monitored usage of the smart water system 200, through LEDindicators 733 on the control unit 227 (FIG. 7), the screen of the touchscreen sensor 230 k, or other appropriate user interface. In addition,indications can be provided for operating conditions such as, but notlimited to, pressure differential across the filter bank 203, outputpressure of the CO₂ canister 506, or input and/or output temperature ofthe chiller unit 403. Such conditions can be displayed on or accessiblethrough the screen of the touch screen sensor 230 k and/or through auser interface of the control unit 227. The user interface can beintegrated into the control unit 227 or may be remotely located andcommunicatively coupled to the control unit 227 through the RFtransceiver 736 (FIG. 7). For instance, a remotely located or collocatedcomputer, laptop, tablet, smart phone can interface with the controlunit 227 to access and/or provide indications to the user, maintenancepersonnel and/or equipment supplier.

The RF transceiver 736 can allow access to the Internet through a localnetwork (e.g., LAN, WLAN, near field communication, etc.) or may beconfigured to operate transmit and/or receive communications through acellular network. Access to the Internet can also allow the smart waterfilter system 200 to display to the user notifications from theequipment supplier or other entities such as, e.g., the localmunicipality. For example, water safety notifications can be displayedon the screen of the touch screen sensor 230 k and/or through the userinterface of the control unit 227. Condition of replaceable components(e.g., filters and/or CO₂ canisters) and/or prompts for replacing and/orordering replacement components can also be provided through the screenof the touch screen sensor 230 k and/or through the user interface ofthe control unit 227. In some cases, replacement components (e.g.,filters and/or CO₂ canisters) can be automatically ordered by the smartwater filter system 200 and delivered to the user for replacement. Insome cases, the control unit 227 may also be remotely accessed by theequipment supplier through the RF transceiver 736 to check the conditionof and/or update the controls of the smart water filter system 200.

Operation of the smart water filter system 200 can also be personalizedbased upon the identification of the object, container and/or definedsequence or pattern of touches, breaks or movements. For example, userscan have individual drinking glasses that are associated with a set ofuser defined preferences regarding the filtered (and/or chilled and/orcarbonated, etc.) water. Once identified, the control unit 227 canconfigure and/or operate the smart water filter system 200 to providefiltered water that meets the specified preferences. The control unit227 can also adjust the rate of flow and/or the amount of filtered waterprovided by the smart water filter system 200 based upon the identifiedcontainer. The set of user defined preferences may be defined throughthe touch screen sensor 230 k and/or through the user interface of thecontrol unit 227. Monitoring of use and/or consumption of water can alsobe monitored based upon identification of the container and/or user. Forinstance, indications can be provided for the amount of water consumedover a given period of time.

Referring now to FIG. 9, shown is a flow chart 900 illustrating anexample of operation of a smart water filter system 200 of FIGS. 2A and3A-3D. While the discussion makes reference to smart water system 200,the operation is equally applicable to smart water filter systems 400 ofFIGS. 4A-4D, 500 of FIGS. 5A-5D or 600 of FIGS. 6A-6D. Beginning with903, the smart water filter system 200 waits for initiation of waterflow through the water supply line (e.g., cold water supply line 106 ofFIGS. 2A-6D and 8A-8K). In some embodiments, the smart water filtersystem 200 is energized (or in a sleep mode) and monitoring on aperiodic basis for water flow through one or more sensors as previouslydiscussed. When flow is sensed by the control unit 227 (e.g., FIG. 3A),the smart water filter system 200 can initialize filtering operation in906 and begin monitoring for signals from the sensor 230 (e.g., FIG.3A). When in a sleep mode, the smart water filter system 200 can wake upand restore the system for normal operation in 906. In otherembodiments, the smart water filter system 200 may be shut down with anidle generator in the water supply line. When the generator beginsproducing power (indicating that water flow has started), the smartwater filter system 200 starts up for normal operation in 906.

The status of the filter bank 203 (e.g., FIG. 3A) is checked in 909. Forexample, the filters may be designed for use for a predefined period oftime or amount of water flow through the filter. The operating timeand/or amount of flow through of the filters can be monitored andchecked to determine if they need to be replaced. If the filtercondition is not acceptable at 912, then an indication can be providedin 915. For example, an indication can be provided through the LEDindication on the control unit 227, through the screen of the touchscreen sensor 230 k and/or through the user interface of the controlunit 227. In some cases, an indication may be transmitted by the controlunit 227 to a remotely located or collocated computer, laptop, tablet,smart phone through a local network or connection, or through theInternet. The smart water filter system 200 then begins checking for afiltered water request from a sensor 230 in 918. If the filter conditionis acceptable at 912, the smart water filter system 200 then beginschecking for the filtered water request in 918.

If a filtered water request is not received from a sensor 230 by thecontrol unit 227 within a predefined time period at 921, then thevoltage level (or condition) of the battery used by the smart waterfilter system 200 can be checked in 924. If the voltage is acceptable,then the flow returns to 918, where the smart water filter system 200continues to check for a filtered water request. If the voltage level ofthe battery is not acceptable, then the smart water filter system 200may proceed to 927 and turn off (or enter a sleep mode to conservepower). An indication can be provided to the user in 927 to inform themof the reason for shutting down the system. If a filtered water requestis received by the control unit 227 at 921, then one or more solenoidscan be energized at 930 to redirect water flow through the filter bank203, chiller unit 403 (e.g., FIG. 4A), and/or carbonation system 503(e.g., FIG. 5A). The control unit 227 can also determine from the signalfrom the sensor 230 whether a specific container or user has beenidentified and configure the smart water filter system 200 to operate inaccordance with the associated set of predefined preferences aspreviously discussed. A filter timer can be started in 933 to controlhow long filtered water is provided. The time period can be based uponthe identified container and/or user.

At 936, the smart water filter system 200 determines whether a change inthe water flow has been detected (e.g., as indicated by the monitoredflow sensors and/or provision of power by the generator). If the changein flow satisfies a predefined flow condition, then the one or moresolenoids are de-energized at 939. For example, if the water flow stopsbecause the faucet is turned off or if the water flow increases to fullflow, then the smart water filter system 200 stops filtering the waterby de-energizing the solenoid(s). If no change if flow is detected, thenit is determined if the timer has timed out at 942. If the filter timerhas expired at 942, then the one or more solenoids are de-energized at939. If the filter timer has not expired, then the water flow is againchecked at 936. After the solenoid(s) are de-energized in 939, thefilter status information is updated in 945. For example, theoperational (or “ON”) time of the filter bank 203 can be appended and/orstored in memory for subsequent access and/or confirmation. The smartwater filter system 200 can then be turned off at 927. In some cases,the smart water filter system 200 can enter a sleep mode and continuemonitoring for water flow as previously discussed.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of thepresent disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations setforth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure.Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-describedembodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit andprinciples of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations areintended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure andprotected by the following claims.

It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and othernumerical data may be expressed herein in a range format. It is to beunderstood that such a range format is used for convenience and brevity,and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not onlythe numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, butalso to include all the individual numerical values or sub-rangesencompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-rangeis explicitly recited. To illustrate, a concentration range of “about0.1% to about 5%” should be interpreted to include not only theexplicitly recited concentration of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, butalso include individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) andthe sub-ranges (e.g., 0.5%, 1.1%, 2.2%, 3.3%, and 4.4%) within theindicated range. The term “about” can include traditional roundingaccording to significant figures of numerical values. In addition, thephrase “about ‘x’ to ‘y’” includes “about ‘x’ to about ‘y’”.

Therefore, at least the following is claimed:
 1. A smart water filtersystem, comprising: a solenoid valve comprising an inlet coupled to awater supply connection and an outlet coupled to a faucet feedconnection, the water supply connection configured to connect to a watersupply line and the faucet feed connection configured to couple to afaucet via a faucet feed line; a filter inlet connection coupled betweenthe water supply connection and the inlet of the solenoid valve, thefilter inlet connection configured to be coupled to a filter bank; and afilter outlet connection coupled between the outlet of the solenoidvalve and the faucet feed connection, the filter outlet connectionconfigured to be coupled to the filter bank; where activation of thesolenoid valve stops flow of unfiltered water through the faucet feedline while allowing flow of only filtered water from the filter bankthrough the faucet feed connection.
 2. The smart water filter system ofclaim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to activate thesolenoid valve in response to a first signal.
 3. The smart water filtersystem of claim 2, wherein the first signal is provided by a sensor. 4.The smart water filter system of claim 3, wherein the sensor is a voicesensor, a touch sensor, a proximity sensor, a bump sensor, a magneticsensor, IR sensor or a RFID sensor.
 5. The smart water filter system ofclaim 3, wherein the solenoid valve is deactivated in response to asecond signal provided by the sensor.
 6. The smart water filter systemof claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is deactivated in response tostopping water flow through the faucet feed connection.
 7. The smartwater filter system of claim 6, comprising a flow sensor configured todetect water flow through the faucet feed connection.
 8. The smart waterfilter system of claim 1, comprising the filter bank comprising an inletcoupled to the filter inlet connection and an outlet coupled to thefilter outlet connection.
 9. The smart water filter system of claim 8,wherein the filter bank comprises one or more filter cartridges.
 10. Thesmart water filter system of claim 1, wherein the water supply line is acold water supply line.
 11. A smart water filter system, comprising: anelectrically operated valve comprising an inlet coupled to a watersupply line and an outlet coupled to a water feed line supplying afaucet; and a filter bank having an inlet coupled to the water supplyline before the inlet of the electrically operated valve and an outletto provide filtered water from the filter bank, the outlet of the filterbank coupled to the water feed line after the outlet of the electricallyoperated valve, where the electrically operated valve is configured tocontrol flow of unfiltered and filtered water through the faucet, whereflow of the unfiltered water through the faucet is stopped by theelectrically operate valve to allow only filtered water from the filterbank to flow through the faucet.
 12. The smart water filter system ofclaim 11, wherein the electrically operated valve stops the flow ofunfiltered water when activated.
 13. The smart water filter system ofclaim 11, wherein the electrically operated valve stops the flow ofunfiltered water when deactivated.
 14. The smart water filter system ofclaim 11, further comprising a control unit configured to controlactivation of the electrically operated valve in response to a controlsignal.
 15. The smart water filter system of claim 14, wherein thecontrol signal is received from an activation sensor.
 16. The smartwater filter system of claim 15, wherein the activation sensor is avoice sensor, a touch sensor, a proximity sensor, a bump sensor, amagnetic sensor, IR sensor or a RFID sensor.
 17. The smart water filtersystem of claim 15, wherein the control signal is a wireless signaltransmitted by the activation sensor.
 18. The smart water filter systemof claim 14, wherein the control unit is further configured to controlactivation of the electrically operated valve in response to flow offiltered water through the water feed line.
 19. The smart water filtersystem of claim 14, comprising a sensor configured to detect flow thoughthe water feed line.
 20. The smart water filter system of claim 11,wherein the water supply line is a cold water supply line.
 21. A methodfor providing filtered water through a faucet, comprising: activating anelectrically operated valve in response to a filtered water request,where the electrically operated valve redirects unfiltered water awayfrom the faucet and directs the filtered water to the faucet whenactivated; monitoring for a change in water flow to the faucet; and inresponse to detecting a change in the water flow, directing theunfiltered water to the faucet by deactivating the electrically operatedvalve.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the electrically operatedvalve is a solenoid valve.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein theunfiltered water is redirected to a filter bank to provide the filteredwater.
 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the change in the water flowis detected by a flow sensor.
 25. The method of claim 21, wherein thefiltered water request is provided in response to a user input.
 26. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the user input is provided though a voicesensor, a touch sensor, a proximity sensor, a bump sensor, a magneticsensor, IR sensor or a RFID sensor.